65 per cent of children play with fire

According to a Bristol researcher, 65 per cent of children in secondary education have been involved in playing with fire.

The research forming a PhD thesis by Donna Lovell from the University of the West of England, found from 321 pupils interviewed between the ages of 11 and 16, 75 per cent of boys and 53 per cent of girls had been involved in firesetting.

The research was part funded by Great Western Research and Avon Fire and Rescue Service, which carries out community work with youngsters getting involved in this type of behaviour.

Donna said:  “Many of the families I interviewed had multiple problems and their lives were very chaotic. In one case I found that the fire setting behaviour stemmed from an undiagnosed developmental disorder, and other cases related to frustration from problems at school and at home that weren’t getting resolved.”